Urgent Setback Thermostat Recall

 

Important Recall for a popular thermostat

Below is the information to determine if your setback thermostat is included in this recall. If you have questions, please contact us.

 

 

 

We are always concerned about our customer’s safety. We are ready to answer your questions so feel free to call us.

 

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs since 1980.

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Resolution Time!

 We all make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, to get fit, to stop a bad habit, or some other “life changing” promise to ourselves. Here are some activities to put on your calendar that will save you money and improve your health!

Your heating and air conditioning system heats, colds, humidifies, cleans, and moves air around your home. With some simple steps you can have a cleaner, more comfortable, safer, home and save money. These are always good resolutions to add to your list. Here is a simple tip on an easy way to accomplish these resolutions.

On that new calendar or on that new tablet or smart phone calendar do the following:

·        Put in a task to once a month check the filter on your furnace. If it is dirty, change it out every month. If it is clean check it again the following month. A dirty filter can cause your increase your furnace blower motor to work harder thus using more electricity..

·        Put in a task to check and clean the humidifier once a month during the heating season. Soak the pad in a 50% vinegar/water solution overnight and rinse with water. Replace the pad at least once during the heating season. The build-up of minerals will decrease the effectiveness of the humidifier. This reduces comfort and causes more hours of humidifier operation which costs you money. Also open the humidifier bypass damper at the beginning of the heating season along with the water supply valve. At the beginning of the cooling season close the humidifier bypass and shutoff the water supply to the humidifier. If you have UV light check it for proper operation.

·        While you are doing the things mentioned above, be sure no “stuff” is stored within a foot of the furnace or water heater. If there are flammables nearby, be sure to get them out of the house! A malfunction of the furnace or water heater can quickly cause a major fire if flammables or combustibles are nearby.

·        Mark April to call for a service call by a professional to safety and operational check your air conditioner before the season of hot weather is here. When your system is properly adjusted, it saves you money and provides better comfort.

·        Mark August to schedule a fall safety and operational check on your furnace. Every fall hundreds of people are hospitalized with carbon monoxide poisoning from poorly operating furnaces.

·        Put in a task to check the air conditioning unit monthly during the warm months for weeds, leaves, cottonwood or other debris that can partially clog the intake of the air conditioning unit and reduce efficiency and the life of the unit.

·        Put a task on the first day of spring and the first day of fall to replace the batteries on your smoke detectors and your carbon monoxide detector. Also check for operation. If they are more than 10 years old, they should be replaced.

·        While you are changing out batteries on your smoke detectors, also change out the batteries on your thermostat if needed. Check the manual for instructions. Also remember the clock on the thermostat may need to be changed when we “spring ahead” or “fall back” to be sure you have you program operating properly on your thermostat.

That new smart phone or tablet can be used for more than just games. It can remind you of the simple tasks needed to assure comfort, safety and energy saving in your home this coming year.

Happy New Year for all of us to you and your family!

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs since 1980.

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11 Warm Weather Energy Saving Tips

With warmer weather there are several things every homeowner should do to prepare their home’s plumbing and air conditioning system for the spring and summer seasons. These are activities that will help to assume proper operation of the systems, prevent damage and save energy costs.

1. Remove the cover you may have put on your air conditioning unit. Be sure the power is on to the outdoor air conditioning unit. This will allow the oil to warm up and freely flow when you need to turn the unit on.
2. Carefully clean weeds and plants that may interfere with airflow to the outdoor air conditioning unit. Clean any debris around the unit. Don’t let the weed-wacker near the unit’s coil as it might damage the unit.
3. Use some car polish to clean the cabinet of your air conditioner. It will not be an eyesore in your yard.
4. Install a new filter in your furnace for the cooling season. A dirty filter is often the reason for a service call that could have been prevented.
5. Turn off the water supply to your humidifier and if there is a damper for the humidifier be sure to put it in the summer mode. It’s also a good time to clean the humidifier removing the calcium buildup and replace the media to be ready for fall.
6. If you have a setback thermostat, now is the time to set the cooling setbacks and check to see if you changed the time for daylight savings.
7. Check the insulation on the air conditioner piping from the outdoor unit to the point it enters the wall of your home. This insulation helps save energy by not allowing the refrigerant to operate properly.
8. Check to be sure that the ground around your outdoor air conditioning unit has not shifted and caused the unit to lean. This can cause the unit to fail prematurely.
9. Turn the water on to the outside faucets. Check inside the basement and the faucets themselves for any leaks. Also it’s time to start-up the sprinkler system and check for leaks at piping or at the sprinkler heads.
10. Check the outlet of the sump pump to assure free flow for the water to discharge at least 5 feet from the house.
11. Our trained technicians can check the mechanical portion of your air conditioning system to assure efficient operation to save you operating costs and continuous operation when you need it. Every manufacturer recommends semi-annual checks by qualified technicians on your heating and air conditioning system.

Call us early for preseason savings on system checks! If your system is 10 years or older it may be time to consider replacing it with a quiet high efficient unit. Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com. Home Service Corporation Celebrating our 32^nd year serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs.

An Unwanted Surprise Coming?

We are experiencing low temperatures and wind chills we have not had in our area for several years. If you haven’t noticed, your furnace or boiler has been running more often and for longer times than it has in at least two heating seasons. There will be surprises in the next several months when you open that gas bill. Hopefully your system has been running effectively without interruption. Here are a few tips to assure better running efficiency and safety.

• Be sure the filter is clean. A dirty filter can reduce the airflow causing less comfort and higher heating costs.
• Check the humidifier for operation. Proper humidity in a home creates more comfort and can save heating costs.
• Remove any clutter around the furnace to avoid the possibility of a fire.
• If you have not had maintenance on your furnace or boiler in the last year or longer, a precision tune-up can cut operating costs and provide better comfort.
• Many homes have attached garages. Be sure to keep the garage door closed to hold in as much heat as possible. DO NOT start the car with the door closed or any other engine such as a snow blower. Carbon monoxide is deadly!
• Close doors tightly and drapes or blinds to keep drafts from forming but be careful that ice does not form on the inside of the windows with the drapes closed.
• If the heat is uneven in your home, you can turn the furnace fan to “on” which will cause the fan to run constantly and often even the temperature throughout the home. That setting is on your thermostat.
• If you have a boiler, be sure to clean the baseboard units. Dust and dirt impede the airflow which reduces the output of the unit and increases your heating bill. Also check that the dampers on the baseboard units are open.
• If your furnace or boiler acts erratically, call us at once. With the stress on units, we are very busy. The sooner you call the sooner we can be at your home and assure you have heat.
• There are no “magic” heating units that you can just plug in and heat your home comfortably. They operate on electricity which is more expensive than natural gas and they do not have the capacity to heat an entire home.

Another money saving thought

Congress included a tax credit for replacement of a furnace or boiler at the end of last year for 2013. The utility companies have substantial rebate programs in effect, our furnace and boiler manufacturers have rebates, and we are ready to give you our lowest prices of the season if you choose to replace that old furnace or boiler with a new energy saving unit. We replace your unit in one day and don’t leave until the heat is back on. We have low cost financing plans available and what better way to use your tax return money than to invest in saving your family money in the years to come.

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation

Celebrating our 32^nd year serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs.

Cider Time?

We have just passed from summer into fall and the change in weather confirms it. The kids are back to school, cider mills are open, and the football season is in full swing. Our days of 90+ degrees have ended for another 9 or so months, the baseball season is quickly winding down, and the shorts and flip-flops are put into the back of the closet. The maple trees are showing their color and the others will be soon. This morning there was frost on the grass in our backyard. So why am I discussing the weather and the season change?

Well, it’s that time of year to have your furnace, humidifier, and air quality equipment checked out. Your furnace will be running very soon if it isn’t already providing warmth for you and your family. It has set idle for the past several months with the exception of the blower and although it started up when you cranked up the thermostat, it may not be running at its peak performance. “What does that mean” you ask? If your furnace isn’t running at its peak performance, it may be in need of a repair or it may need to be adjusted to assure you are using the least amount of natural gas possible. The National Comfort Institute tells us that even a newly installed furnace does not operate at peak performance without proper adjusting and testing at the time of installation. A furnace that has been installed for several years will need to be checked to assure your money savings that furnace promised. Our NATE certified technicians can check and adjust your unit to keep it running at its peak.

At the same time, the technician can check the operation of your humidifier. Your humidifier provides moisture into the home for more comfort at a lower temperature, reduce static electricity, protect furniture, and keep your family healthier. The filtration system will be checked along with other indoor air quality equipment you may have installed.

If you have a boiler, we can check it out and adjust it for peak performance. Our technicians are well trained on the operation of boilers and there special controls. There are many energy saving techniques for your boiler which will save on your gas bill and provide better comfort.

If the technician finds something that needs to be repaired or something that would provide benefit to your family’s comfort, he will give you a quote before he does the work. While he is at your home, be sure to ask him how you can save money on this call and future services.

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation

Celebrating our 32^nd year serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs.

A New Heating & Air Conditioning Idea

We have been asked by customers if there was a way to cool and heat a family room addition on the back of their home. Maybe they just had a duct from their home system or a wall heater without air to provide comfort in that room. Now they would like to have air conditioning and an upgraded heating unit. We have just the thing for them. It’s a ductless split system or as it’s called in the industry, a mini-split unit. These units are compact and very energy efficient. Mini-splits have been used in Europe and Asia for decades so the technology is well beyond the first generation of product. They come in a variety of capacities to meet the needs of your room or rooms. Did we say room or rooms? Yes we did. They are capable of cooling and heating as many as eight rooms at different temperatures and on different schedules.

Ductless Heating & Cooling System

But you say, “I don’t want some big ugly unit in my room or rooms and I definitely don’t want a bunch of units sitting in my backyard.”  The indoor units are small and come in a variety of shapes and designs. Some can mount in the ceiling or high on a wall. Some are like a baseboard unit and some can actually have artwork on the front of them. All the piping, wiring and other “stuff” is enclosed within the units. The outdoor units are thin and very compact with some able to be wall mounted so they don’t junk up the yard. When you have multiple rooms to heat and cool, a single outdoor unit can usually handle it.

If it’s a room that you sleep in or a family room where you watch television, you want a very quiet system. These are very quiet systems which won’t interfere with your daily activities. There is another great feature for the homeowner; there is no wall thermostat to clutter up your room or rooms. These units have remotes which can be stored in a drawer out of the way when you don’t need to change the temperature or fan settings. When you have a unit cooling and heating multiple rooms you can also have a master or central control to manage your comfort.

Mini-Split Indoor Unit

Are there other locations that these systems could provide the comfort you are looking for? The answer is yes! These systems are often used for older two or three story homes which were built without air conditioning and baseboard heat. The second or third floor can be cooled and heated with each room having individual control. Finished basements are another great application. Homes originally built on slabs with baseboard heating are regularly cooled with these systems. These units are also used in many commercial applications.

There are several manufactures of these units with different capacities and designs so we can find one that fits your needs. Call us today for a quote to solve that area of your home that is too warm in summer and too cool in winter.

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation

Celebrating our 32^nd year serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs.

Keeping the Heat On

What to do? If you have a second home or if you are away from your home often, I’m sure you are concerned about the safety of your home while you are away. You may have an alarm company to protect your home from intruders, fire or possibly vandals but what about the operation of your heating and air conditioning system? Damage from frozen water lines bursting or mold from an air conditioning unit not operating can be a huge expense and much more than a simple inconvenience. Even if you are away for work during the day, you home, pets, or furnishings can suffer if the heating or air conditioning systems fail. Then there is the energy used if you don’t wisely control your systems.

Recently, several manufacturers have come out with a totally new concept in thermostats for your home. These thermostats not only register the temperature in your home and turn on your furnace or air conditioning unit when the temperature in your home varies from the setting you have chosen, but they do a multitude of tasks.

Here are some of the things this new breed of thermostat can do.

1. These thermostats connect to the internet via your wireless router in your home.
2. As long as your wireless internet is up, you can control the temperature, humidity and ventilation from your computer or smartphone. Yes, anywhere in the world where you have an internet connection. You’ll note I said control your thermostat not just read the current temperature.
3. They are designed to work with just about every residential system made, both new and older systems so you are not dependent on selecting a particular brand of equipment, you can select the one best for your needs.
4. The thermostats are upgraded automatically as new features are added.
5. They have built in reminders for filter changing and humidifier service.
6. They can tell you when the system needs to have maintenance.
7. They have intelligent temperature setback recovery. They decide when to start heating up the home after a night setback so the home is at your desired temperature when you step out of bed.
8. They can display the weather for the new several days and use the outside temperature to decide when to start the setback recovery mode.
9. They have short term temperature override so if you are staying up late you can be comfortable.
10. Some have sensors that put the system into energy saving mode if the thermostat does not sense someone in the home.
11. They can warn you be email if the system is not working correctly. They can also warn you if your sump pump or other device is not working.
12. They can also send emails to your contractor or a friend that the system is not working properly.
13. They are very user friendly.

Are these new thermostats astronomically expensive you ask? They are more expensive that a basic thermostat, but considering the energy savings and peace of mind you get in return, and the price is reasonable. We have several units we recommend depending on your needs, so contact us today for detailed information.